Chance to dig in and raise cash for charity

metal detectorists getting there first and stripping the field of any finds.

Metal detectorists’ club Yorkshire Searchers will provide marshals for the event, which will also feature a raffle for prizes including clothing and finds bags donated by Crawfords Metal Detectors and a year’s subscription to hobbyists’ magazine The Searcher.

“It will be an open dig – a free for all,” said Stephen. “There’s nothing more satisfying than following someone and finding something they have missed! It’s an amazing hobby.”

Stephen said he took up the hobby about six years ago and had made quite a few finds on local sites, including ones at Scissett, Clayton West, Honley and Golcar, where landowners had given permission for him to go detectoring.

At Honley, he found a commemorative medal marking the official opening of Beaumont Park in 1883 by the Duke and Duchess of Albany.

On the same day he unearthed several old coins, a trading weight, a lead hem weight used in dresses worn by Victorian women, and a selection of pewter buttons. Stephen’s other finds – both uncovered at Briestfield – include an Elizabeth I groat and a 1789 bronze and dipped silver “love token” depicting a bow and two arrows.

Stephen said the token may have been given by a convict to his sweetheart – before he faced transportation to Australia for his crimes.

Stephen has also found Roman and medieval coins and Saxon remains, including axe heads.

However, the focus for Stephen and his colleagues is on amassing as much loot as possible for Ruddi’s Retreat.

“We are good friends and supporters of the charity,” he said. “We organised a Valentine’s Night event this year which raised £4,000.

“We have booked the Briar Court Hotel for next year and it has already sold out.”

To register for the March 10 dig contact Stephen Grierson on 07931 711791 or Stuart Littlewood on 07711 177600. BINMEN in Huddersfield got into trouble when they went the extra mile to help a householder.

The scene, in Mark Street in Paddock, was caught on camera by one local resident, who commented: “Great use of council tax payers’ money. Stuck on grass, cutting across grass to empty bins.”

The lorry, which left a deep gouge in the grass, was hauled free by a recovery truck.

A Kirklees Council spokesperson explained: “Our bulky waste team went to collect a sofa and found it had become water sodden, making it too heavy to carry to the road.

“Rather than leave the item and disappoint the paying customer, they moved the vehicle closer to reduce the distance they would need to carry it and allow them to tip it into the back.

“The driver tested the ground, which seemed firm and frozen but after they reversed on and collected the sofa the ground had softened and they became stuck.

“The tow truck arrived quickly and the crew were back up and running as soon as they were pulled free.”